Matt Gatens Relishing Big Dance with Iowa

Former Hawkeye Standout Finally Representing Black & Gold in Tournament

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Like every kid with big dreams and a passion for the game, Matt Gatens wanted to play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

“Everyone who loves college basketball wants to be part of the tournament in March,” Gatens said. “It just wasn’t in the cards for us.”

Gatens committed to Iowa as a freshman at City High of Iowa City and had an impressive career. He was a four-year starter and two-time captain. He started all 128 games of his Iowa career, which ended after the 2011-12 season. His 1,635 points rank 10th all-time.

The other nine players on that Top 10 list played in at least one NCAA Tournament, and 24 of them overall. Gatens is the only one who didn’t.

“I wish I could have played in it,” Gatens said this week. “Probably the second-best thing is getting to coach in it.”

Gatens is in his first season as an assistant coach at Iowa for Fran McCaffery, the man he played for in his final two seasons at Iowa. Gatens replaced Kirk Speraw, another former Hawkeye who was on McCaffery’s staff for 12 seasons before retiring after the 2021-22 campaign.

“It’s been great,” Gatens said. “A lot of fun. It was special to come back. Everyone would love to coach where they played. But to also be in your home town, it’s pretty cool and special. I’m thankful I got the opportunity.”

Gatens has sampled March Madness from the bench. He got his college coaching career started at Auburn under Bruce Pearl, who was an assistant coach at Iowa under Tom Davis for six seasons. Gatens was there in 2017-18, when the Tigers reached the second round. Gatens was also an assistant to Darian DeVries at Drake when the Bulldogs got an at-large berth in 2021.

The fact that Pearl and Auburn will be Iowa’s first-round opponent Thursday in Birmingham, Ala., is further proof that it’s a small world.

“Amazing,” Gatens said after Iowa drew Auburn.

Asked Sunday night if Gatens would get the scout for Auburn, McCaffery said, “That’s probably a good guess.”

Steve Alford was Iowa’s coach when Gatens committed to the Hawkeyes. He played his first two seasons for Todd Lickliter, his last two for McCaffery. It was not a prosperous period for Hawkeye basketball.

Iowa didn’t make an NCAA Tournament for seven straight seasons, starting in 2006-07. Gatens didn’t play for an Iowa team with a winning record until his senior season. Iowa finished 18-17 and played in the 2012 NIT, the program’s first postseason appearance since 2005-06.

The Hawkeyes reached the NIT title game the following season, then returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2013-14. Iowa has been to seven of the last 10 NCAAs under McCaffery. It would have been eight had COVID not canceled the 2020 tournament.

“Getting to the (NCAA Tournament) is much harder than people realize,” Gatens said. “I know that first hand, because I didn’t get to do it for four years.”

Gatens takes solace in the fact that he played a role in turning Iowa’s fortunes around with the NIT bid as a senior.

“Helping build a foundation to where there are expectations now was a big deal,” he said. “They went to the finals of the NIT the following year and then started building on that with tournament appearances. That’s where we are now. That’s a testament to coach, the staff and the players who have been here. To see your name called and to be a part of the madness, that’s what it’s all about.”

Gatens can still remember watching Selection Sunday as a kid.

“In years where maybe Iowa was on the bubble, I’d get excited to see their name pop up,” Gatens said. “I never went (to NCAA games) as a kid, but obviously I watched them closely. I can remember a lot of them.”

The disappointment of not playing in the tournament doesn’t live with Gatens like it once did.

“I think you get past a lot of things when you put your coaching shoes on,” he said. “It will always be a little piece of me. I’m happy for the guys, and a little jealous. I’d love to be in their shoes, to play on that stage in the biggest tournament there is. The next best thing is to be next to them and help them get ready.”

Getting invited to the NCAA Tournament is the culmination of months of work.

“It starts with recruiting and development in the summer, and getting everyone to buy in and get better,” Gatens said. “And then it’s putting a resume together. Especially this year. There were some really good highs and lows. We had to keep fighting. Things mostly level out and you are where you should be.”

After experiencing the tournament on the staffs at Auburn and Drake, Gatens knows what to expect.

“There’s so much buildup,” he said. “Scouting, travel, everything is different. But once the ball is tipped, you’re in game mode. The game is on. Let’s go win it.”